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What is Whey Protein?

Whey is the liquid part of milk remaining during the cheese making process. The protein casein is curdled out during the process and the milk serum remains. During this process, all fat, cholesterol and most allergens are removed, while the nutritious vitamins and minerals remain in the whey. Whey has the highest Biological Value (BV - the most commonly used criteria to measure the quality of protein) of any available protein. The higher the BV of the protein, the more nitrogen your body can absorb, utilize and retain. Athletes and weight trainers have long known of the beneficial effects of whey relative to lean muscle enhancement and recovery times from strenuous physical exertion.

Whey Protein: The Best Protein For Human Consumption

Whey Protein has been called "the most immune-enhancing protein", as well as "the life-extension protein" by doctors and scientists alike. But what is Whey Protein? And why all the critical acclaim? Read on to find out.

What Is Whey Protein?

Whey Protein is a lactose-free protein drink mix loaded with nutrients and essential amino acids. Whey Protein is comprised of four major protein fractions and six minor protein fractions. The major protein fractions in whey are beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulins. Each of these components have important disease-fighting effects. In addition, Whey Protein is easily digestible and lactose-free.

What are the Health Benefits of Whey Protein?

A New Whey to Prevent Cancer?

Fighting Cancer: Current research from the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center has published positive findings relative to cancer. Whey protein is recognized as reducing the risk of breast, and colon cancer. This research, funded by the USDA, found that whey protein prevented approximately 50% of mammary cancer incidences in rats, while soy prevented only about half that. (Badger, Thomas, "Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention", February 2000.)

Lowering Cholesterol: Whey protein has also been found to be a potent inhibitor of oxidized LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol), helping to prevent diseases like atherosclerosis.

Aiding Bone Growth: Whey protein has been proven to play a direct role in bone growth by increasing bone strength and bone protein such as collagen. (Takada Y., Aoe S., Kumegawa M., Biochemical Research Communications, 1996.)

Decreasing Your Hunger: Amino acids in whey protein keep blood sugar levels stable, holding off the cravings caused by low blood sugar levels.

Whey Protein has also been shown to provide a range of other health benefits such as:

What Sets Whey Protein Apart From Other Proteins?

Unlike other proteins such as soy and wheat, whey is a "complete" protein, which contains all the essential amino acids (which are groups of organic molecules that make up proteins), and boasts the highest branched chain amino acid (BCAA) content found in nature. Whey provides the body with the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are needed for the maintenance of muscle tissue.

Whey has the highest Biological Value ("BV" - the most commonly used criterion to measure the quality of a protein) of any available protein.

Who Should Use Whey protein?

Whey Protein and Its Uses

Whey protein typically comes in three major forms: concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. Whey protein concentrates contain a low level of fat and cholesterol, but generally have higher levels of bioactive compounds, and carbohydrates in the form of lactose — they are 29%-89% protein by weight. Isolates are processed to remove the fat, and lactose, yet are usually lower in bioactive compounds as well — they are 90%+ protein by weight. Hydrolysates are predigested, partially hydrolyzed whey proteins which consequently are more easily absorbed, but their cost is generally higher.

Whey Protein Uses

Whey protein contains high levels of both essential and non-essential amino acids, and pregnant mothers are sometimes advised by their obstetricians to supplement their diets with whey protein to ensure that their developing babies get all the basic amino acids they might need.

More than other protein supplements, whey protein powder is commonly used by bodybuilders and athletes desiring to accelerate muscle development and aid in recovery. Some individuals with suppressed/abnormal immune systems and/or degenerative diseases use undenatured bioactive whey proteins to increase their antioxidant levels. Undenatured whey proteins are a good source of cysteine, a conditionally essential amino acid which is the rate limiting factor for the body's production of glutathione, an important antioxidant.

Examples of commercial whey proteins include those available in most health food stores and supermarket health sections; they typically consist of isolate/concentrate or isolate/concentrate/hydrolysate mixtures and they are usually flavored, so they can be mixed with water or milk and consumed as a drink or shake. Whey protein production has meant that whey is now easily integrated into many nutritional programs.